4 







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:IV1L SERVICE 


CAREER 







CIVIL SERVICE AS A 
CAREER 


BY 


EARL P. HOPKINS, A. B., LL. M. 

President Washington Civil Service School; Author of “Government 
Positions, How You Can Get One;” “Opportunities for 
Women in Government Civil Service,” etc. 



I 


MODEL PRINTING COMPANY 
WASHINGTON, D. C. 


I 



Copyright, 1919 
By Earl P, Hopkins 


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FEB -3 1913 

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WHY THIS BOOK IS PUBLISHED NOW. 


Never in the whole history of the United States have 
there been so many opportunities in the Civil Service of 
the Federal Government as there are at the present time. 
Never has there been such an insistent and apparently 
insatiable demand for more and more employees. Why? 
War. Just that one word is the answer—war. But it 
needs some explaining to make us realize the extent of 
the demand. 

In the first place, a great many who were in the Gov¬ 
ernment service when the war began have resigned to 
enter the army and navy. We are unable to secure any 
reliable estimate as to the number of these resignations, 
but the stars on the service flags of the various depart¬ 
ments show thousands Other thousands of regular 
army, navy, and reserve officers have been taken from 
their desks and assigned to active duty in the field or on 
the sea. 

Then came the draft. Only a few Civil Service posi¬ 
tions were excepted and thousands more were taken from 
the civil list. All these causes and others are still oper¬ 
ating to make vacancies—more vacancies than have ever 
been known in the same length of time. 

At the very time the war caused the classified service 
to lose such a large percentage of its employees the war 
also caused the most unheard-of increase in the amount 
of v/ork to be done and therefore created an immediate 
demand for more and ever more employees. The work 
goes on increasing in volume day by day; thousands of 
new Government employees are appointed, and still 
there seems no decrease in the demand for help. 

Not only have the regular departments nearly all ex¬ 
perienced a most remarkable growth, especially the War 

3 



and Navy Departments, but new branches have been 
created almost overnight and require thousands of 
workers. For example, the Food and the Fuel Adminis¬ 
trations, the Shipping Board, the War Risk and Insur¬ 
ance Bureau. 

They say it takes six to eight men behind the lines to 
keep one soldier fighting at the front. That tells the 
whole story of the tremendous demand for civil workers 
of all kinds so that our constantly growing army and 
navy may be equipped, trained, supplied, and supported. 
In short, the Government needs help of all kinds; to fill 
its needs, it is paying larger salaries and offering other 
inducements to men and women to give up private em¬ 
ployment and enter the Civil Service. 

After the War. 

It is really surprising how many men and women have 
entered the Government service “for the period of the 
v/ar” only. Their reasons for intending to resign when 
peace comes are many and varied. These resignations 
are likely to cause many vacancies at the beginning of 
the period of reconstruction which will immediately fol¬ 
low the war and probably last for years. This is not the 
place for speculation as to the world changes which are 
likely to take place, but it is proper to mention a few 
things which seem to indicate that there will be no 
material reduction in the number of Civil Service em¬ 
ployees when the world is finally pronounced safe for 
civilization. 

First of all, it will probably be as great a task to 
muster out and return to civil life our millions of sol¬ 
diers as it has been to enroll this great army. That 
great organization, the War Risk and Insurance Bureau, 
must continue its work indefiniaely, because this soldier 
and sailor insurance is intended to take the place of pen¬ 
sions, and the Government is still paying pensions as a 
result of the Mexican War of 1846 It is not expected 
that maimed and crippled soldiers will be discharged 

4 


until everything possible has been done for them, includ¬ 
ing probably training for new occupations. 

The United States has made contracts for war sup¬ 
plies running into the billions. Many manufacturing 
plants have been taken over and many others erected. 
An immense amount of work will be involved in settling 
up these affairs and disposing of the quantities of sup¬ 
plies and munitions remaining unusetf. No one can 
safely predict what the future holds in store with refer¬ 
ence to Government control, management and owner¬ 
ship of the railroads, telegraph, telephone, and express 
companies. The Federal Government has all of these in 
charge now, and there are many who believe that there 
will never be a return to the conditions existing before 
the war. The annual reports of the Postmaster General 
have for several years advocated the operation of tele¬ 
graph and telephone lines as part of the Postal System. 
The express business can easily be handled as a greater 
Parcels Post. If the railroads come under Civil Service 
rules, it will more than double the number of classified 
employees. 

The work of the Shipping Board will not be finished 
when peace comes, even if by then the tonnage sunk by 
submarines has been replaced, because the world will 
need more ships than ever before, and the United States 
will strive to regain and hold its former place on the 
seas. 

Beyond onr own borders there are problems of recon¬ 
struction and rebuilding which make the readjustments 
needed here mere trifles by comparison. Think of what 
must be done to restore to peace and civilization de- 
vasted and war-torn Belgium, France, Serbia, and other 
countries. Consider the vastness of the undertaking to 
bring order out of the Russian chaos. We shall be 
vitally concerned in this work of healing the war wounds 
of the world and our help as • a Government will be 
needed for years. 

Without going any further in our consideration of 
after-the-war conditions, it appears to be a safe conclu- 

5 


sion that the Civil Service of the United States will offer 
great opportunities as a career. 

Few Know What Civil Service Really Means. 

Our investigations show that comparatively few per¬ 
sons have a correct and definite understanding of just 
what “Civil Service” means. It, therefore, seems best 
to begin with a simple if somewhat detailed explanation 
of the National Civil Service Law and the system of 
examinations held under the United States Civil Service 
Commission. 

We have read and examined many books on Civil 
Service, but have found the series of pamphlets pub¬ 
lished by the Women’s Auxiliary of the Massachusetts 
Civil Service Reform Association the most useful for 
our present purposes. We wish to make grateful ac¬ 
knowledgment to them for the liberal extracts we are 
making from their two booklets, “The Civil Service and 
the Merit System” and “The Civil Service, the Merit 
System, the Spoils System ” 

What Is the Civil Service? 

In the first place, what is the Civil Service? It is a 
part, and a very important part, of the Government, and 
consists of a large number of persons who do certain 
kinds of public work and are paid for it by the citizens 
of the country, state, or city in which the work is done. 

The Military Service, as we all know, is made up 
chiefly of the soldiers who fight our battles when we are 
so unfortunate as to have on hand a war. 

The Naval Service includes the people who go out in 
ships of war to fight for us on water. 

The Legislative Service is made up of the men who 
frame our laws and plan the business management of 
our affairs as a country. 

The Civil Service is made up of persons who are not 
soldiers or law-makers, but who perform hundred of 

6 


duties that add to the daily comfort and convenience of 
every one living under the Government. Our mail- 
carriers, our policemen, our firemen, our lighthouse- 
keepers, the men who inspect our steamships, the book¬ 
keepers who keep the public accounts, nearly all the peo¬ 
ple connected with the United States Mint, to take only 
a few examples, belong to the Civil Service. 

What is the Spoils System? 

Our early Presidents, Washington and Adams and 
Jefferson, tried never to turn out a public servant who 
was behaving himself and doing his work as it should 
be done. When the country grew larger and more and 
more work was to be done for the public, and there were 
more and more places to be filled, a different feeling grew 
up among the men whose business it was to choose the 
public servants. They could not know each one of them 
personally, and they became more and more influenced 
by political motives. When President Jackson was 
elected he said very plainly that he thought it right to 
turn out of their places people who had voted against 
the President and his party to make room for those who 
had voted in favor of them. This idea soon became 
firmly fixed in the minds of politicians. They found it 
convenient to be able to promise good positions to men 
who would themselves vote and get their friends to vote 
for the party they wished to have in power. It was 
cheaper for them to buy votes in this way than with 
actual money. And also they could threaten men al¬ 
ready occupying Civil Service positions with the loss of 
their places if they refused to try and get votes for the 
party or to give money for political purposes. 

All this, of course, was most unfair, and the persons 
who got positions in the Civil Service were often 
tempted to feel that it was hardly worth while to do their 
duty when the excellence of their work had nothing to 
do with keeping them in their places. Instead of think¬ 
ing about their work they thought about getting what 

7 


they called a “pull” with the important people belonging 
to their party, and whenever the time came for a new 
election they were frightened and anxious lest they 
should be turned out. 

Civil Service Reform. 

Soon after the end of the Civil War a few men who 
were called “Civil Service Reformers” realized how fool¬ 
ish and wrong this whole arrangement was. They saw 
that on account of political influence two or three people 
were employed to do the work which one man could do 
easily alone, and that unnecessary places were created 
in the service so that a salary could be paid to some one 
who had done political work, and that in many other 
ways the money paid by the people was wasted and put 
to wrong uses; also that the work was not nearly as well 
done as it ought to be, and that beside the honest men 
who held public places there were a great many rogues 
and idlers who did not begin to earn their salaries. 

There was not much attention paid to the Civil Service 
Reformers, however, until President Garfield was mur¬ 
dered by a man who wanted a political appointment and 
was disappointed in getting it. This tragedy made the 
whole public think about the system that had grown up 
of office-getting and office-giving, and it was soon de¬ 
cided that some fairer and more sensible way of choosing 
public servants must be found. 

The National Civil Service Law. 

This proved the turning point. At the next session of 
Congress bills were introduced for the establishment of 
the merit system, and a law was passed in January, 1883. 
It was entitled “An Act to Regulate and Improve the 
Civil Service of the United States.” The object of the 
law. was to secure appointment and promotion in the 
service for fitness. For this purpose appointments were 
to be made from those graded highest as the results of 
open competitive examinations, the appointments being 

8 



THE CAPITOL ROTUNDA.-East View. 













































THE WHITE.'HOUSE,— Upper, South View, Lower, East View, 





































made final only after a period of probation or trial. This 
system was to be extended throughout the service as fast 
and as far as the President should direct. When any 
part of the service was to be brought under the system, 
it was to be arranged in classes by order of the Presi¬ 
dent; hence the term “Classified Service” means, under 
the law, the part of the service in which the merit system 
is applied.Within the classified service, the examina¬ 
tions for appointment and for promotion are chiefly com¬ 
petitive; that is to say, a list, called an “eligible list,” is 
made of all applicants passing a fixed grade, in the order 
of their standing, and a selection is made by the appoint¬ 
ing officer from the three highest on this list. This selec¬ 
tion is for the period of probation or trial, six months, at 
the end of which term, if his conduct and capacity are 
satisfactory, the probationer is absolutely appointed; if 
not, he is discharged. Non-competitive examinations 
are held according to the rules laid down by the Presi¬ 
dent. In these all applicants passing a fixed grade are 
eligible to appointment without regard to their relative 
standing. The rule as to probation is the same as in the 
other cases. The law requires i’. a' all “examinations 
shall be practical in their character, and as far as may 
be shall relate to those matters which will fairly test the 
relative capacity and fitness of the persons examined to 
discharge the duties of the service into which they seek 
to be appointed.” Close attention is paid to this require¬ 
ment. In the first place, weight is given to the experi¬ 
ence of the candidates in the kind of work they seek, 
when such experience can definitely be known. Then 
each class is tested as to the knowledge and skill particu¬ 
larly needed. For clerks and accountants, weight is 
given to accuracy and quickness in figures, to clearness 
and rapidity in writing, and to familiarity with the prin¬ 
ciples and methods of bookkeeping. Examinations are 
generally for entrance to the lower grades of the service, 
and actual excellence in the performance of work counts 
in promotion. For places requiring special knowledge, 
trained examiners are employed. In all cases the exam- 


9 


iners are selected from those who are well informed as 
to the work to be done. The application of this law is 
to be carried out and watched by a Commission known 
as the United States Civil Service Commission, made up 
of three members, appointed by the President with the 
advice and consent of the Senate. This Commission aids 
the President in the formation of the rules under the law, 
and, with the aid of examiners, sets and conducts the ex¬ 
aminations. All appointing officers are required to re¬ 
port to it all changes in the classified service, of which 
the Commission keeps a full record, as well as of its own 
examinations and other proceedings. All officers of the 
service are required to aid in the performance of the 
duties of the Commission. 

By the rules, which have the force of law, no question 
can be asked of candidates for appointment as to their 
political or religious opinions; no disclosures of such 
opinions can be considered; no change of rank or pay 
can be made because of such opinions. Under the spoils 
system, the officeholder got his place from his party and 
was taxed heavily by his party managers. The law puts 
a stop to that; it holds the officer bound only to earn his 
pay by honest work, and free to spend it as he chooses. 
The law further holds him without fear of harm or hope 
whole people of the United States. It aims to put the 
people and those who work for them on the same foot¬ 
ing that is maintained in honorable private business be¬ 
tween employers and employed. 

How Appointments and Promotions Are Made. 

After a candidate has passed his examination success¬ 
fully his name will be placed on a list, at the head if he 
has passed highest, at the foot if he has passed lowest, 
or elsewhere according to the marks he has received. 
If he is among the highest three on the list he stands a 
good chance of being chosen, as the first three names are 
sent to the person at the head of the department in which 
he wishes to work, and any one of these may be selected 
by him. 


10 


Once appointed, there is, <^‘f course, opportunity of 
promotion for those who have done their work well. 

Why the Merit System Is Best. 

There are many more things to learn about the Civil 
Service and about this method (called the Merit System) 
of choosing people to do its work; but it is easy to see 
from even this slight explanation that it is an improve¬ 
ment on the old way of getting the public work done. 
The public money is not so easily wasted, there is a bet¬ 
ter chance of getting people who understand the work, 
and those who are appointed are reasonably sure of not 
being turned out for political reasons, but only if they 
do not do their duty. The Merit System is democratic 
and gives every person the opportunity to get a place in 
the public service if he is fitted for it; it helps the public 
servants to be honest and faithful and to do their duty 
to the country, without fear or favor of any political 
“boss”; it gives to the people the very best possible 
ser^ce at the least cost; but, most of all, because it pre- 
veirLs the places in the public service from being used 
to BRIBE and corrupt the citizens and voters of the 
Republic. 

Clearly it is best that the Merit System should be 
applied to all that portion of the Civil Service in which 
the duties are of a business nature and in which the 
office-holders are not called on to fix the policy of the 
Government. There is no Democratic or Republican 
way of being honest and industrious and intelligent 
which all Americans may not use. To these qualities in 
their service the people have a right, and no party can 
claim a monopoly of them. Much remains to be done 
to complete the work so well begun. The men in all 
parties who look on public employment, not as a trust, 
but as the spoils of party victory, resist all advance and 
seek to undo what has been done. They cannot succeed 
if the true nature of the Merit System is understood, its 
honesty and fairness, its high utility, and its fidelity to 

11 


the fundamental principle of the free institutions of the 
American Republic. 

Are Civil Service Positions Desirable? 

In answering this question, we must remember that 
Civil Service positions cover almost every occupation. 
Let us consider the various elements that go to make 
any occupation desirable and see how far the Civil 
Service meets these requirements. 

The first consideration with most people is the pos¬ 
sibility of securing employment at all. If you cannot get 
the job, it does not matter much to you whether it is 
worth while or not. As we shall see later, it is really 
rather easy to secure a Civil Service position, and this 
without long or expensive training. 

Granted that you can secure a certain position, the 
next question is, “How much does it pay?” In the first 
place, it is safe to say that Government work as a gen¬ 
eral rule pays, the beginner better than almost any other 
employment. This is especially true of the clerical posi¬ 
tions, and these are in the great majority. When we say 
that clerical work is better paid under the Government 
than in private business, we mean in ordinary times. 
Under war conditions the difference is very much great¬ 
er in favor of the Civil Service. 

Another thing in favor of Government work is that it 
is steady. Your pay goes on every day in the week and 
every week in the year, regardless of general business 
conditions. On the other hand, in private employment 
there are good times and hard times, panics and strikes 
and other things which cut down the annual earnings of 
those who may be paid more per day than the Govern¬ 
ment employee. 

Another element to be considered in the choice of an 
occupation is the number of years you can reasonably 
expect to continue at the work. You should ask yourself 
whether conditions in the occupation are likely to change 
so that there will not be sufficient employment for all 

12 


the workers in that line, and also whether there are 
other elements which may cut down the worker’s years 
of profitable employment. These questions can both be 
answered favorably to Civil Service. We all know that 
the Government business will last longer than any of 
us, and those who have given even a little study to the 
matter can see that the tendency is for the quantity of 
Government work to increase both by the growth of the 
country, and by the National, State, and City Govern¬ 
ments constantly enlarging their functions. Therefore 
anyone considering the Civil Service as a career need not 
hesitate for fear that there will not be enough work for 
him as long as he wants to work. 

Closely connected with the question we have just been 
considering are the questions of health and safety in any 
occupation. As to both, we can safely say that condi¬ 
tions are naturally better under Government supervision 
than in the ordinary private employment. There may 
be Civil Service positions which are to be classed as 
dangerous, though we do not think of any, but we have 
a right to expect the working conditions to be better 
than in the same occupation under a private employer. 

The healthfulness of an occupation depends more than 
we are apt to realize on the hours and working condi¬ 
tions. Government hours are generally short. In the 
Federal service at Washington nearly all employees 
work only seven hours a day. Longer hours can be re¬ 
quired in an emergency, but they are the exception. No 
one can expect better light, air, and general sanitary con¬ 
ditions than are to be found in Government offices. An¬ 
other advantage which the Civil Service employee en¬ 
joys to a much greater extent than those who are work¬ 
ing for private concerns, is the greater liberality of vaca¬ 
tions, especially vacations with pay. The Departmental 
Service of the National Government offers special attrac¬ 
tions in this respect, as the rule is thirty days’ paid vaca¬ 
tions each year (longer in the Philippine service) and 
also thirty days’ sick leave with pay if needed. 

Promotions in the Civil Service are not hard to secure. 


13 


In fact, we believe that the man who really tries to do 
his best, who works harder than he has to, just to hold 
is job, has just as good or a better cance for rapid pro¬ 
motion than he would have with a corporation. In addi¬ 
tion to the promotions which can be secured in the Gov¬ 
ernment service, we must consider the many opportuni¬ 
ties a Government position affords to secure a training 
that will prepare for big things in private life. Cases 
of this kind are seen very frequently. A man secures a 
position in Washington, we will say; he studies some 
profession for which there are exceptional opportuni¬ 
ties in the colleges and universities of the Capital, or he 
develops out-of-the-ordinary ability as an executive, or 
he becomes a specialist in the line of work he is doing for 
the Government, and the first thing his friends know he 
has resigned and is drawing a big salary from some cor¬ 
poration. 

The man who is ambitious always makes his employ¬ 
ment a stepping-stone to success. He is forever prepar¬ 
ing himself to move up a notch in the ladder of his 
career—to fit himself for something bigger, something 
better. No other field of endeavor holds forth greater 
opportunities for this than the Government service. 

There are thousands of ambitious young men in the 
Government Civil Service whose purpose is to hold their 
positions but a few years, then enter private life, having 
worked out their ends. Some of these want a college 
education, some seek political honors, others look to the 
broad and lucrative field of business, and still others 
adopt a professional career. These young men represent 
new blood, fresh vigor, renewed activity, original ideas, 
strong hopes and high ambitions. Their influence is 
good and wholesome. They come and go among their 
obcial associates, impressing them with the manly vigor 
of their energy. Every year sees an influx of these young 
men, and a corresponding outpouring into private life. 

These young men are doubly gainers. They not only 
accomplish their purpose, but while doing so they gain 
a knowledge of Government at first hand that will al- 


14 


ways be valuable to them. When they enter private life 
they carry with them a remembrance of the problems of 
administration and their acquaintances therewith will 
always prove an incentive to keep a true interest in 
things relating to this big, broad country and its people. 

The history of our country of late years has been 
made by men who started in humble positions under the 
Government. Ex-President Roosevelt started as a clerk 
at the New York Custom House; the late Senator Platt 
was once a stenographer under the Government. For¬ 
mer Secretary Cortelyou was a stenographer in the Post- 
Office at $840 a year. Postmaster General Hitchcock 
was a subordinate clerk in the same department. Col¬ 
lector Loeb of the port of New York was a stenographer. 
Mr. A. E. Lamborne, president of the Texas & South¬ 
western Railroad, was once a railway mail clerk; and 
thousands of other prominent men who have made a 
huge success of life can be named who used the Civil 
Service as their first stepping-stone. 

One more consideration, which is seldom given suffi¬ 
cient weight in determining the choice of a career, is the 
social standing which the occupation carries with it. 
When a choice has been made without considering this 
element, and a man finds that others who are really less 
capable and are probably earning smaller incomes stand 
higher in the community than he does, he is then, too, 
likely to give undue weight to this element when it is 
too late to make a change without great sacrifice. There 
is no doubt to be dispelled on this score in the Civil 
Service. A Government position carries with it a cer¬ 
tain standing and dignity which does not attach to the 
same work outside of the Government. Closely allied 
to this is the question of social surroundings and ac¬ 
quaintances. Civil Service employees being all selected 
through the same means, are more likely to be congenial 
both at their work and on the outside. 

Much more might be said on the subject of the desir¬ 
ability of Government work, but we believe this is 
enough to justify our conclusion that the average Amer- 

15 


ican who can secure a Civil Service appointment is to 
be congratulated. 

The United States Civil Service. 

We have concluded that the best way to present the 
opportunities that exist in the Federal Civil Service is 
to use as far as possible the official publications of the 
U. S. Civil Service Commission. This method of presen¬ 
tation seems particularly desirable at the present time 
because the “Manual of Examinations,” from which we 
shall quote very freely, has not been issued since Janu¬ 
ary, 1917, and the extremely valuable information usu¬ 
ally contained in its semi-annual issues is not accessible 
to the public. 

It must be remembered by our readers that minor 
changes of various kinds have been quite numerous since 
we entered the great war, and it is always advisable to 
make sure your information about a particular examina¬ 
tion is up to date and correct before making any prepara¬ 
tion to take that examination. 

The war has caused an immense increase in the num¬ 
ber of Civil Service positions and a greater increase in 
the number of appointments made. It is necessary not 
only to find competent employees for the newly created 
positions, but also to fill the thousands of vacancies due 
to war conditions. It has already been explained why 
the coming end of the war is not likely to injuriously 
aflect any Civil Service employee or to make the Civil 
Service less desirable as a career. This has had a pro¬ 
found effect on the attitude of the Civil Service Commis¬ 
sion itself. Before the war, when there were more quali¬ 
fied applicants than positions available, the Commission 
could pick and choose only the very best. But now, 
when there are more positions than people to fill them, 
the Commission has become a very active employment 
agency for the whole Government service. 

You should keep these changed conditions in mind 
while reading the following pages and try to realize that 


16 



STATE, WAR AND NAVY DEPARTMENTS. 





























































CONGRESSIONAL LIBRARY LOBBY. 










even though no official announcement has been made of 
changes in the rules, there is certainly a changed atti¬ 
tude. The Civil Service Commission wants to get you 
in the service if you are competent. 

We now begin our extracts from the official publica¬ 
tions of the United States Civil Service Commission. 

Scope of the Civil Service Law. 

January i6, 1883, Congress passed what is known as 
the “Civil Service Law.” This act established the United 
States Civil Service Commission, to be composed of 
three members, not more than two of whom shall be ad¬ 
herents of the same political party. The act itself is a 
mere outline of its purpose, but for its amplification it 
provides for rules to be promulgated by the President, 
such rules to be equally binding with the statute upon 
the heads of departments and offices, as well as upon the 
Commission. The fundamental purpose of the law and 
rules is to establish, in the parts of the service within 
their provisions, a merit system whereby selection for 
appointment shall be made upon the basis of demon¬ 
strated relative fitness, without regard to political or 
religious considerations. To carry out this purpose a 
plan of competitive examinations is prescribed. 

The term “Classified Service” indicates the parts of 
the service within the provisions of the Civil Service law 
and rules requiring appointments therein to be made 
upon examination and certification by the Commission, 
unless especially excepted from competition; the term 
“Unclassified Service” indicates the parts of the service 
which are not within those provisions, and therefore in 
which appointments may be made without examination 
and certification by the Commission. 

The Civil Service law and rules do not give to the 
Commission any power of appointment and removal; 
that power is left where it was prior to such law, namely, 
in the President and the heads of departments. Upon 
the requisition of an appointing officer the Commission 

17 







provides eligibles secured as the result of competitive 
examination; from the eligibles thus provided the ap¬ 
pointing officer makes selection and appointment. When 
the Commission certifies three eligibles for any particu¬ 
lar position, the appointing officer has absolute discre¬ 
tion in making selection and appointment from such 
eligibles, except that the rules require that selection shall 
be made without regard to political or religious consid¬ 
erations. When certification is made the Commission’s 
duty ends so far as an appointment is concerned, except, 
of course, that it is charged with investigating and re¬ 
porting any irregularity of appointment or removal. 
However, the person standing highest on the list is al¬ 
most always appointed first. 

A vacancy in the classified service may be filled either' 
by original appointment upon examination and certifica¬ 
tion by the Commission, as explained, or by transfer or 
promotion from certain other positions in the classified 
service, or by reinstatement. 

Extent of the Classified Civil Service. 

“The classified service shall include all officers and 
employees in the executive Civil Service of the United 
States, heretofore or hereafter appointed or employed, in 
position now existing or hereafter to be created, of what¬ 
ever function or designation, whether compensated by a 
fixed salary or otherwise, except persons employed mere¬ 
ly as laborers and persons whose appointments are 
subject to confirmation by the Senate.” * ^ * (Civil 
Service Rule II, clause i.) 

Included in the classified service are positions in or 
under the departments and offices at Washington, D. C., 
the Custodian Service, the Customs Service, the Engi¬ 
neer Department at Large, the Freedmen’s Hospital, the 
Forest Service, the Government Printing Office, the Im¬ 
migration Service, the Indian Irrigation and Allotment 
Service, the Indian Service, the Internal Revenue Serv¬ 
ice, the Land Office Service, the Lighthouse Service, the 
Mint and Assay Service, the National Military Park 

18 


Service, the Navy Yard Service, the Ordnance Depart¬ 
ment at Large, the Panama Canal Service, the Post- 
Office Service, the Public Health Service, the Quarter¬ 
master Corps, the Reclamation Service, the Rural De¬ 
livery Service, the Railway Mail Service, St. Elizabeth’s 
Hospital, the Steamboat Inspection Service, the Sub¬ 
treasury Service, the United States Penitentiary Service; 
and the position of Fourth-Class Postmaster, except in 
Alaska, Canal Zone, Guam, Hawaii, Philippine Islands, 
Porto Rico, and Samoa. 

Under Civil Service Rule II, clause 3, certain positions 
in the classified service are excepted from examination. 
A list of these positions will be found in Section 324 of 
the Manual. 

All positions in the classified service except those men¬ 
tioned in the section referred to in the preceding para¬ 
graph, if not filled by reinstatement, transfer, or promo¬ 
tion, must be filled as the result of open competitive ex¬ 
amination held under the provisions of the Civil Service 
law. 

Departmental Service and Field Service. 

The term “Departmental Service’’ refers to positions 
in the departments and independent offices at Washing¬ 
ton, D. C. The term “Field Service” refers to positions 
in branches outside of Washington, D. C., and to local 
branches in Washington, D. C. Local branches are such 
as the City Post-Office, the Custom House, the Navy 
Yard, the Engineer Department at Large, etc. Such 
branches in the District of Columbia, as elsewhere, are 
in the Field Service, while their respective departmental 
headquarters are in the Departmental Service. 

Positions under the government of the District of 
Columbia are not a part of the Federal service. 

Examinations and Appointments. 

Examinations for the Departmental Service are held 
in every State and Territory. For the Field Service 
examinations usually are held at or near the places of 


19 


employment. Examinations as a rule are not held for 
a particular department or office, but for the purpose of 
establishing registers from which appointments may be 
made to any department or office. From most exami¬ 
nations appointments may be made not only to a par¬ 
ticular class of positions, but to any position requiring 
the qualifications tested. 

Appointments are made through examination and cer¬ 
tification by the Commission to competitive classified 
positions in the Federal service, both at Washington, 
D. C., and in the country at large. 

Appointments to Federal positions in Porto Rico, 
Hawaii, and the Canal Zone are made on the same basis 
as those in the States. ■ So far as is practicable the same 
system is applied to Federal positions in Alaska. 

With the exception of a very few Federal positions in 
the Philippines, appointments to Government positions 
in those islands are made in accordance with the Philip¬ 
pine Civil Service act, but the United States Commis¬ 
sion holds such examinations as the Philippine Civil 
Service Board may request. Civil positions in the mil¬ 
itary division of the Philippines, and similar positions 
under the United States naval authorities in the Philip¬ 
pines, are not in the Philippine Civil Service, but are in 
the Civil Service of the United States. The positions 
referred to include those under the staff officers of the 
Philippine Division of the Army, and under the com¬ 
mandants of the United States Naval Stations at Cavite 
and Olongapo. The Bureau of Civil Service at Manila 
is authorized to receive applications for admission to the 
Federal Civil Service in the Philippine Islands, to hold 
examinations, and to certify eligibles for appointment 
to Federal positions. 

Civil Service Districts. 

The Commission has established twelve Civil Service 
districts for convenience in holding examinations and 
making certifications for filling vacancies occurring in 
certain field positions, which comprise— 

20 


(a) Positions in classified post offices (except rural carrier), 
customs districts, internal-revenue districts. Subtreasury Serv¬ 
ice, Mint and Assay Service, Navy-Yard Service (except cer¬ 
tain technical positions, and Custodian Service. 

(b) The following positions in all field branches (except the 
Quartermaster Corps), including the Forest, Immigration, In¬ 
dian, Lighthouse, Public Health, and Steamboat Inspection 
Services; the Engineer and Ordnance Departments at large; 
the Weather Bureau; and the Bureaus of Animal Industry, 
Mines and Standards, etc.: 

Bookkeeper. 

Clerical. 

Minor clerical. 

Subclerical. 

Stenographer. 

Typewriter. 

Stenographer and typewriter. 

Telephone operator. 

Elevator conductor. 

Messenger boy. 

Mechanical trades and similar noneducational positions (ex¬ 
cept Indian Service and other services for which regulations 
provide otherwise). 

Unskilled laborer (where labor regulations are in force). 

(c) The following positions in certain field branches: 

Field Clerk and Mechanical Draftsman, Reclamation Service. 

Forest Clerk and Computing Clerk, Forest Service. 

Laboratory Helper and Junior Aid, Forest Products Labora¬ 
tory, Madison, Wis. 

Junior Laboratory Helper, Bureau of Standards. 

Matron, Matron - Interpreter, Messenger - Interpreter, and 
Guard, Immigration Service. 

Mechanical Draftsman, Bureau of Mines. 

Packer, Indian Warehouses. 

Law Clerk-Stenographer-Typewriter, Department of Justice. 

Book Sewer, United States Military Academy. 

Mechanician, Medical Supply Depots. 

Mechanical Draftsman. Apprentice Draftsman, and Appren¬ 
tice, Ordnance Department at Large. 

Minor or Copyist Draftsman, and Apprentice Draftsman, 
Engineer Department at Large. 

In the Quartermaster Corps: Messenger, Stenographer, 
Watchman, and the following non-educational positions: Po¬ 
sitions in the Harbor-Boat Service, Engineer, Forester, Gar¬ 
dener, Janitor, Packer (at Depots), Rodman, Warehouseman, 
and Wheelwright. 


21 


Minor positions in the Public Health Service, paying more 
than $50 a month. 

Additional positions may be included in the district system 
when such action is deemed practicable and desirable. 

Each district is in charge of a District Secretary, who an¬ 
nounces and holds examinations and establishes eligible reg¬ 
isters for the positions enumerated above. 

Information in regard to examinations for any of the services 
or positions mentioned in this section may be secured by ad¬ 
dressing the Secretary of the Board of Examiners at the head¬ 
quarters of the Civil Service district in which employment is 
desired. 

Positions of the same kind as all the above, or at least 
positions requiring the same or similar qualifications, ' 
are also to be found in the Departmental Service. The 
foregoing enumeration shows the extent of the Field 
Service. 

Who Can Secure a Civil Service Position. 

As a general rule any citizen of the United States 
who can pass the entrance examination is eligible for 
any Civil Service position, but there are certain rules of 
eligibility and disqualification, some of them applying 
to all positions, which we will now consider. 

Age Limitations.—When age limitations are pre¬ 
scribed, as is the case for many positions, an applicant 
will be admitted to examination if on the date of the 
examination he has reached or passed a certain pre¬ 
scribed age and is under a certain prescribed age. For 
example, when the period of eligibility to examination is 
from the age of 20 to the age of 40 years, he will be 
admitted to examination if on the date thereof he has 
reached his twentieth birthday, and he will not be ad¬ 
mitted to examination if on the date thereof he has 
reached his fortieth birthday. Age limitations, however, 
do not apply to applicants allowed preference in appoint¬ 
ment under Section 1754, Revised Statutes, as will be 
explained later in discussing “Preference in Appoint¬ 
ment.” 


22 


Age limitations apply to entrance examinations only 
and do not mean that an employee must leave the Gov¬ 
ernment service at any certain age. The Civil Service 
has no retirement law or rules like the Army and Navy. 

Physical Condition of Applicants.—The following de¬ 
fects will debar persons from any examination: Insan¬ 
ity, tuberculosis, paralysis, epilepsy, seriously defective 
sight of both eyes which cannot be corrected by glasses, 
loss of both arms or both legs, loss of arm and leg, 
badly crippled or deformed hands, arms, feet or legs, 
uncompensated valvular disease of the heart, locomotor 
ataxia, cancer, Bright’s disease, diabetes. Defective 
hearing will also debar from examination if the duties 
of the position are such that the defective hearing of 
the employee would be likely to result in injury to him¬ 
self or his fellow workers, or would otherwise impair 
his efficiency. Applicants who have heart disease must 
submit certificates from two physicians. If the defect 
‘‘is not fully compensated the application will be disap¬ 
proved. 

Form 1786, containing a list of examinations to which 
deaf mutes will be admitted, will be sent upon request 
to the Commission. 

Persons Who May Not Be Examined.—The Com¬ 
mission is authorized to exclude from any examination a 
person— 

(a) Who is not a citizen of or does not owe allegiance 
to the United States. 

(b) Who is on the date of examination under the 
minimum or over the maximum age limit prescribed for 
the examination for which he applies. 

(c) Who is physically disqualified for the service 
which he seeks. 

(d) Who is addicted to the habitual use of intoxicat¬ 
ing beverages to excess, or to the use of opius, morphine 
or other narcotic drugs. 

(e) Who has within nine months passed in an exami¬ 
nation for the same position or for any position covered 

23 


by the same examination for which it is desired to again 
apply. 

(f) Who has been dismissed from the public service 
for delinquency or misconduct within one year preced¬ 
ing the date of his application. Whether an application 
will be accepted after the expiration of a year from a 
person dismissed from the service rests with the Com¬ 
mission, and each case of this character will be consid¬ 
ered on its individual merits. 

(g) Who has failed after probation to receive abso¬ 
lute appointment to the position for which he again ap¬ 
plies within one year from the date of the expiration of 
his probationary service. If the application is made 
after the expiration of a year, the circumsances which 
resulted in the failure of absolute appointment will de¬ 
termine whether or not the application will be accepted. 

(h) Who has made a false statement in his applica¬ 
tion, or has been guilty of fraud or deceit in any manner 
connected with his application or examination, or has 
been guilty or crime or infamous or notoriously dis¬ 
graceful conduct. 

(i) Who has been dishonorably discharged from the 
United States Army, Navy, or Marine Corps. 

Citizenship.—All applicants must make oath in their 
applications to their citizenship or allegiance. In the 
case of a foreign-born person who claims United States 
citizenship, such citizenship must be fully proved. 

In some cases citizens of countries allied with the 
United States are now permitted to take the examina¬ 
tions. 

Applicant for More Than One Examination.—A per¬ 
son may at the same time be an applicant for as many 
different examinations as desired, upon filing the proper 
applications therefor, provided that only one kind of 
examination may be taken on a given date. 

A person may take as many different examinations 
held by the Commission on different dates as he wishes, 
provided he meets the requirements in each case, and as 
a result of such examinations he may at the same time 

24 


be eligible for appointment to several positions in the 
same branch or in different branches of the service. 

How to Select an Examination. 

It is hoped that the following pages describing a few 
of the examinations which are held by the United States 
Civil Service Commission will assist the reader to make 
a wise choice of a Government position. It is obvious 
that the first step is to compare your general educational 
qualifications with description of the grade subjects, 
first, second, and third, beginning on page 26, to see 
how high a basis examination you should be able to 
pass. Then examine the several groups of positions 
which are arranged according to the grade of the basis 
examinations, and select one or more for which your 
special education or training and experience fit you. In 
most cases, detailed information can be obtained from 
the Commission, but unfortunately oftentimes this in¬ 
formation is not given out until just before the exami¬ 
nation. 

It is not possible to lay down any simple easy rules 
for selecting an examination. The Civil Service is nec¬ 
essarily a vast complicated machine. Constant changes 
are taking place in the requirements for different posi¬ 
tions, the subjects of the examinations and the salaries 
paid. For most applicants considerable time and study 
must be given the matter before any right choice can 
be made. The only short cut is to secure the advice of 
an expert who has made a long special study of all these 
questions. There are a few Civil Service schools which 
offer such service to their students, and at least one 
which gives free advice about the selection of an ex¬ 
amination to anyone interested, without requiring the 
person seeking assistance to become a student. 

Description of Examinations. 

The Manual, to which we have referred and from 
which several pages have been quoted, describes quite 

25 


a number of examinations. Pamphlets can also be ob¬ 
tained from any of the twelve Civil Service districts 
which contain information about the post-office and 
other Field Service positions. The Commission also 
holds examinations of many kinds, especially those re¬ 
quiring technical or scientific training, concerning which 
it does not give out any information until a special ex¬ 
amination is called. 

The great majority of appointments are made from a 
few examinations, and as the readers of this book are 
more likely to be interested in these basic examinations, 
as they are called, they will now be described, using the 
language of the latest Manual so far as possible. 

Grade Subjects.—The general scholastic subjects of 
many examinations, such as spelling, arithmetic, letter 
writing, and copying, are of three grades or degrees of 
difficulty, known as first, second, and third grades, the 
first grade being the most difficult and the third grade 
the least difficult. These subjects are designated under 
the difiPerent examinations as ‘‘grade subjects.” 

Relative Weights and Method of Determining Aver¬ 
age Percentage.—The different subjects in each exami¬ 
nation are given relative weights according to their im¬ 
portance. These weights represent the value of each 
subject in the whole examination. The method of ob¬ 
taining the average percentage of an examination is as 
follows: Multiply the rating obtained in each subject 
by the relative weight of that subject, add the products, 
and divide the sum of the products by the sum of the 
relative weights. The quotient thus obtained will be 
the average percentage for that examination. 

First-Grade Subjects.—i. Spelling: Twenty words of 
more than average difficulty. 2. Arithmetic: Funda¬ 
mental rules, common and decimal fractions, weights 
and measures, percentage, interest, discount, commis¬ 
sion, custom-house business, stocks and bonds, partner¬ 
ship, analysis, and statement of simple accounts. 3. Pen¬ 
manship: Rated on legibility, rapidity, neatness, and 
general appearance. 4. Letter Writing: Test in the 

. 2 ^: 


use of the English language for business correspondence. 
5. Copying and Correcting Manuscript: Test in making 
a smooth, corrected copy of a draft of manuscript which 
includes erasures, misspelled words, errors in syntax, etc. 

Second-Grade Subjects.—i. Spelling: Twenty words 
of average difficulty in common use. 2. Arithmetic: 
Embraces addition, subtraction, multiplication, and divi¬ 
sion of whole numbers, and common and decimal frac¬ 
tions, and the ordinary weights and measures. 3. Let¬ 
ter Writing: Test in the use of the English language 
for business correspondence. 4. Penmanship: Marked 
on legibility, rapidity, neatness, and general appearance. 
5. Copying from Plain Copy: An exact copy of a few 
printed lines, in competitor’s handwriting. 6. Geog¬ 
raphy: Questions relating to the boundaries of States 
and to capitals, largest cities, rivers and other bodies 
of water, and the location by States of prominent cities. 

Third-Grade Subjects.—i. Spelling: Twenty simple 
words in ordinary use. 2. Arithmetic: Embraces addi¬ 
tion, subtraction, multiplication, and division of whole 
numbers and of United States money. 3. Letter Writ¬ 
ing: Test in the use of the English language for busi¬ 
ness correspondence. 4. Penmanship: Marked on legi¬ 
bility, rapidity, neatness, and general appearance. 5. 
Copying from Plain Copy: An exact copy of a few print¬ 
ed lines, in competitor’s handwriting. 

FIRST GRADE AND SPECIAL SUBJECTS. 

Assistant Observer, Weather Bureau (formerly Observer Ex¬ 
amination).—Age, 18 to 30 years; unmarried men only. 

Subjects of examination and relative weights of subjects on 
a scale of 100; Meteorology (elementary), 15; Penmanship, 5; 
English Composition upon some Meteoroligacal Subject, 25; 
Elementary Physics, 20; Mathematics, Arithmetic and Alge¬ 
bra, 20; Copying and Correcting Manuscript (first grade), 10; 
Geography of the United States (second grade), 5. 

Seven questions are given in meteorology, seven in arith¬ 
metic. and seven in algebra, and the competitor is required 
to answer five in each. The scope of the subject of elementary 
physics is equivalent to that covered in a high school course 
of one year. 


27 


The subject of mathematics includes questions in arithmetic 
similar in scope to those of the first grade, and elementary- 
algebra through quadratics. 

Editorial Clerk, Departmental Service.—Age, 20 years or 
over; men and women admitted. 

Subjects of examination (first grade), also Editing, Abstract¬ 
ing, Proof Reading and Bookmaking, practical questions; Proof 
Reading, practical test, and Indexing. 

Fish Culturist, Bureau of Fisheries.—Age, 20 to 45 years; 
men only; county officer’s certificate not required. 

Practical questions in Fish Culture, Aquatic Biology, and 
Physics, Training and Experience. Under the subject of 
Training and Experience, credit will be given for experience 
in practical fish culture and for a college course in actual 
biology. 

From the register of eligibles resulting from this examination 
certification will be made to fill vacancies as they may occur in 
the Bureau of Fisheries, Department of Commerce, in the fol¬ 
lowing positions: Fish Culturist at Large; Fish Culturist; As¬ 
sistant Messenger, Car Service; Messenger, Car Service; and 
Foreman of Station. 

The register of eligibles resulting from the Fish Culturist 
examination may also be used for filling vacancies in the posi¬ 
tion of Apprentice Fish Culturist when the department so de¬ 
sires and when there are eligibles willing to accept appointment 
at the salary of apprentices. 

Persons appointed as a result of the Fish Culturist examina¬ 
tion are, after satisfactory service, eligible to promotion with¬ 
out further examination to the following positions in the Bureau 
of Fisheries: Car Captain, Superintendent of Station, and 
Field Superintendent. 

Forest and Field Clerk.—Age, 18 years or over, but eligibles 
who were more than 40 years of age on the day of examination 
will not be certified for filling vacancies in the position of For¬ 
est Clerk; men and women admitted, but women will not be 
employed as Forest Clerks. Applications will not be accepted 
from persons who have tuberculosis or other serious physical 
defect. Applicants must show in their applications that they 
have had at least one year’s actual experience in clerical work 
in a business office. 

Subjects of examination first grade, also Stenography, Copy¬ 
ing frorn Rough Draft (typewriting). Copying from Plain Copy 
(typewriting). 

Immigrant Inspector, Immigration Service.—Age, 20 to 55 
years; men only. 

From this examination the positions of Immigrant Inspector 
and Chinese Inspector will be filled. 

Subjects of examination: Spelling, Arithmetic, Penmanship, 

28 


Report Writing (first grade), Copying from Plain Copy (sec¬ 
ond grade), Practical questions in the Immigration and Chinese 
Exclusion Laws and Regulations, Training and Experience. 

It is desired to appoint to these positions persons who have 
had practical experience in handling and dealing with the public 
and who have had experience in positions of responsbility 
where they were requred to exercise good judgment in emer¬ 
gencies. 

Competitors who so recuest may also be examined in one or 
both of the optional subjects: (i) Stenography and Typewrit¬ 
ing; ( 2 ) Interpreting one or more of the following languages: 
Arabic, Armenian. Assyrian (Arabic). Bohemian, Bulgarian, 
Chinese. Croatian, Dalmatian. Danish. Dutch. Finnish. Flemish, 
French, German. Greek. Hebrew iargon (Yiddish), Herze¬ 
govinian, Hindu. Hungarian. Italian, Japanese, Lithuanian, 
Montenegrin, Magyar, Norwegian, Persian, Polish, Portuguese, 
Roumanian, Russian, Ruthenian, Servian, Slovak, Slovenian 
(Wendish), Slovenish (Kranish), Spanish, Swedish, Syrian, 
Syrian (Arabic), Turkish, Yiddish (Hebrew jargon). 

Law Clerk-Stenographer-Typewriter.—Age, 22 to 40 years; 
but no person who is under 27 years of age will be certified to 
the position of naturalization examiner, and no person who is 
under 24 years of age will be certified for appointment to a po¬ 
sition in the Field Service. Men only admitted. 

From the list of eligibles resulting from this examination ap¬ 
pointments will be made to the position of clerk, qualified in 
law, stenography, and typewriting, and to the position of natu¬ 
ralization examiner in the Department of Labor. This exami¬ 
nation supersedes the examination for naturalization examiner. 

Subjects of examination: Stenography, Copying and Spacing 
(typewriting). Copying from Rough Draft (typewriting), Copy¬ 
ing from Plain Copy (typewriting). Penmanship, Report Writ¬ 
ing (first grade). Arithmetic (first rade). Spelling (first grade). 
Copying and Correcting Manuscript (first grade), Law. 

These positions offer opportunities for advancement in work 
and salary in the Bureau of aNturalization at Washington, and 
from there by transfer to field positions where an exceptionally 
fine opportunity exists for acquiring experience and knowledge 
of court procedure and practice in both Federal and State 
courts. 

Telegraph Operator, Departmentzd Service.—Age, 18 years 
or over; men and women. Subiects of examination, first grade, 
practical questions, training and experience. 


FIRST GRADE AND BUSINESS SUBJECTS. 

Bookkeeper, Departmental Service.—Age, 18 years or over. 

29 


Subjects of examination, first grade, and practice of book¬ 
keeping, embracing tests in journalizing and preparation of 
balance sheet in mercantile transactions. 

Bookkeeper, Field Service.—This examination will be held 
only when eligibles are needed and will be announced by the 
district secretary in whose district the vacancy exists. 

Bookkeeper, Panama Canal Service.—This examination has 
been discontinued. Bookkeeping is given as an optional sub¬ 
ject in the Clerk. Panama Canal, examination. 

Bookkeeper, Philippine Service.—Age, 20 to 40 years; men 
only. Subjects of examination, first grade, with practice of 
bookkeeping, embracing tests in journalizing and preparation 
of balance sheet in mercantile transactions, elements of audit¬ 
ing and disbursing, and training and experience. 

Clerk, Panama Canal Service.—Age, 20 to 45 years; men only. 
Subjects of basis examination, first grade. 

Passing the basis examination alone will not entitle a com¬ 
petitor to eligibility for appointment. In addition to attaining 
an average percentage of 70 or more in the basis subjects com¬ 
petitors will be required to attain eligibility on one or more^ of 
the following optional subjects: (i) Typewriting, including 
the typewriting tests of the examination for stenographer and 
typewriter, Panama Canal Service; (2) Bookkeeping, including 
the practical tests of the bookkeeper examination; (3) General 
Business Training and Experience, to be determined upon the 
statements made in the application and testimonials, corrobo¬ 
rated if need be by the persons named as references. Under 
this subject special consideration will be givn to railroad ex¬ 
perience and to experience in government offices. In order to 
obtain a rating under this subject applicants must show that 
they have held positions requiring initiative and responsibility. 
(4) Timekeeping Training and Experience, to be determined 
upon the statements made in the application and testimonials, 
corroborated if need be by the persons named as references. 
Applicants for this optional should be quick and accurate at 
figures and have had at least one year’s experience in time¬ 
keeping and pay-roll work, preferably on construction and en¬ 
gineering work where the time of a large number of men is 
kept. Experience with gang foreman in keeping the time of a 
small number of men is not considered sufficient. 

For the optional subject Bookkeeping, the applicant must 
show that he has had experience with revenue or disbursing 
accounts of the United States Government, or experience with 
the accounts of large corporations or business concerns doing 
a large business. 

Each applicant for the optional subject General Business Ex¬ 
perience or Timekeeping Experience will be required to file 
with his application at least one and not more than three testi- 

30 


monials from recent employers under whom the experience 
claimed has been gained, written on business letterhead. 

STENOGRAPHERS AND TYPEWRITERS. 

Four Branches of Service. — Stenographer-typewriter ap¬ 
pointments are made in four different branches of the Civil 
Service, as follows: Departmental, Field, Philippine, and 
Panama Canal. 

A male eligible may be on all registers of the Civil Service 
Commission, except the Field Service, at the same time, and 
as the result of passing a single examination. For Field posi¬ 
tions, preference is given persons examined in the city in which, 
or the vicinity of which, vacancy exists. 

Sex and Salaries.—Both men and women are eligible for De¬ 
partmental and Field Service positions; males only for the 
Panama Canal and Philippine Services. 

Entrance salaries for stenographer-typewriter in the Depart¬ 
mental and Field Services are now $i.ioo and $1,200 and higher, 
with chances for promotion after three months’ satisfactory 
service. 

The stenographer-typewriter entrance salary is $1,200 for the 
Philippine Service and $1,500 for the Panama Canal Service. 

Three Kinds of Examinations.—There is a separate examina¬ 
tion for stenographer, another for typewriter, and a combined 
examination for stenographer-typewriter. 

Separate stenographer tests for the Philippines and the 
Panama Canal and the separate typewriter tests for the Philip¬ 
pines are open as re-examinations to those who have failed 
within a year on part of the combined exmination which they 
seek to take again. In other words, if you take the stenog¬ 
rapher-typewriter test, for any service, and fail in stenography 
or typewriting, your name will be placed on the register of 
eligibles for the part in which you succeeded. You can be re¬ 
examined later for the part in which you failed, and if you are 
successful your name will not only stay on the register as a 
result of your first examination, but your two averages will be 
combined and your name will also go on the typewriter- 
stenographer eligible list. 

Furthermore, those who pass the stenographer-typewriter 
examination successfully have their names placed on the three 
separate registers for stenographer, for typewriter, and for 
stenographer-typewriter. 

Subjects of Examination.—The stenographer-typewriter ex¬ 
amination consists of spelling, arithmetic, letter writing, pen¬ 
manship (all first grade), stenography, copying from rough 
draft, and copying from plain copy. 

The typewriter examination consists of spelling, arithmetic. 


31 


letter writing, penmanship (all first grade), copying from rough 
draft, and copying from plain copy. 

The stenographer examination consists of arithmetic, letter 
writing, penmanship (all first grade), stenography and copying 
from rough draft. 

The Commission also holds tests in stenography and type¬ 
writing only; that is. without the clerical subjects; but those 
who pass the full examination are preferred in appointments. 

Examinations Every Tuesday.—Owing to the unusual demand 
for stenographers and typewriters, the Civil Service Commis¬ 
sion is now holding examinations every Tuesday in all the prin¬ 
cipal cities and towns of the United States, in order to secure 
a sufficient number of eligibles. 

Clerk with Knowledge of Stenography or Typewriting.—Be¬ 
sides positions of stenographer, typewriter, and stenographer- 
typewriter, there is also a desirable class of positions in the 
Departmental Service in Washington, known as clerk with 
knowledge of tenography and typewriting, open to men and 
women over i8. A “fair knowledge of stenography and type¬ 
writing is required.” but the examination also embraces first- 
grade subjects in spelling, arithmetic, letter writing, penman¬ 
ship, and copying from rough draft. The examination is really 
held so as to secure persons who are qualified as clerks, but 
who also know stenography and typewriting. It is better to 
be on this eligible register than for departmental clerk, because 
when clerkship vacancies occur, the stenographic clerk is given 
preference over those who are on the list of eligibles for ordi¬ 
nary clerkships. Such clerks receive $900 to $1,200 when first 
appointed. 

FIRST-GRADE SUBJECTS ONLY. 

Clerk, Departmental Service.—Age, 18 years or over; men and 
women. Subjects of examination first grade. Competitors who 
fail to attain ratings of at least 70 in arithmetic will not be 
eligible for appointment and the remaining subjects of their 
examinations will not be considered. 

Eligibles resulting from this examination will be certified for 
appointment in the departments and independent offices at 
Washington, D. C., only. The examination for these positions 
in the Field Service is exactly the same as for clerk depart¬ 
mental service, but a separate examination must be taken to 
secure eligibility for clerical positions in the custom house, 
internal revenue, or other field offices. 

SECOND GRADE AND SPECIAL SUBJECTS OR 
EXPERIENCE. 

Telephone Operator, Departmental Service.—Age. 18 years 
or over, but eligibles under 30 years of age may be given pref- 

32 


lUi*' 



TREASURY DEPARTMENT 








































PENSION BUILDING (Upper). POST-OFFICE (Lower). 













erence; men and women admitted. Subjects of examination 
second grade. The applicant must show one year’s experience 
as an operator in a large central office, or at least two years' 
experience as an operator in any other branch exchnge. 

Field Clerk (Minor), Reclamation Service.—Age, i8 years or 
over; men and women. Time allowed for basis subjects, four 
hours. Subjects of basis examination second grade. Competi¬ 
tors who so request may also be examined in either or both 
of the optional subjects of stenography or typewriting. 

Apprentice Fish Culturist, Bureau of Fisheries.—Age, 20 to 
40 years; men only. Subjects of examination second grade, 
with training and experience. Under the subject of training 
and experience credit will be given for experience in practical 
fish culture and for high-school or college course in aquatic 
biology. 

From the register of eligibles resulting from this examination 
certification will be made to fill vacancies as they may occur in 
the Bureau of Fisheries, Department of Commerce, in the fol¬ 
lowing positions at the salaries named: Laborer, $600 to $900 
a year; laborer, car service, $720 a year; and skilled laborer, 
$720 to $960 a year. The usual entrance salary is $600 a year. 

SECOND GRADE SUBJECTS ONLY. 

Minor Clerk.—Age, 18 years or over; men and women. Sub¬ 
jects of examination second grade. This is a new examination 
to fill minor clerical positions in Washington at $900 a year. 
Higher salaries can be secured through promotion examina¬ 
tions. 

POST-OFFICE POSITIONS. 

Postmaster, First, Second, and Third Class.—Post-offices are 
divided into four classes according to their receipts. A first- 
class office is one at which the gross receipts for the preceding 
fiscal year have been $40,000 or more. A second-class office is 
one at which the gross receipts for the fiscal year have been not 
less than ^.000, but not as much as $40,(XX5.^ A third-class office 
is one at which the postmaster’s commission from the cancel¬ 
lation of stamps has been not less than $250 for four consecu¬ 
tive quarters (periods of three months). All other post-offices 
are fourth-class. 

The appointment of a postmaster at an office of the first, 
second, or third class is required by law to be confirmed by 
the Senate. Until this law is changed, these postmasters can¬ 
not be, strictly speaking, placed in the classified Civil Service. 
But practically the same effect has been secured by an order of 
the Commission that hereafter when a vacancy occurs in the 
position of postmaster of any office of the first, second, or third 

33 




class as the result of death, resignation, removal, or on the 
recommendation of the First Assistant Postmaster General, 
approved by the Postmaster General, to the effect that the effi¬ 
ciency or needs of the service requires that a change shall be 
made, the Postmaster General shall certify the fact to the Civil 
Service Commission, which shall forthwith hold an open com¬ 
petitive examination to test the fitness of applicants to fill such 
vacancy, and when such examination has been held and the 
papers in connection therewith have been rated, the said Com¬ 
mission shall certify the result thereof to the Postmaster Gen¬ 
eral, who shall submit to the President the name of the highest 
qualified eligible for appointment to fill such vacancy, unless it 
is established that the character or residence of such applicant 
disqualifies him for appointment. 

The subjects of this examination are arithmetic and accounts, 
penmanship, letter writing, and business training and experi¬ 
ence. Eligibles will be rated on any training or experience 
they have had, regardless of whether or not it has been in post- 
office work. 

The age limits are 21 to 65, and to be eligible an applicant 
must be a citizen of the United States, must actually reside 
within the delivery of the office for which the application is 
made, and must have been such resident at the time the vacancy 
occurs. 

Postmasters, Fourth Class.—The following is a statement 
made by the Post-Office Department: “As a result of the ex¬ 
ecutive order issued some time ago by recommendation of 
Postmaster General Burleson, all candidates for appointment 
to a post-office of the fourth class paying $180 or more per an¬ 
num will be required to stand an examination conducted by 
the United States Civil Service Commission. Only names cer¬ 
tified by the Commission will be considered legitimate appli¬ 
cants for appointment. No political influence, whatever, under 
the present arrangement may be considered by the Post-Office 
Oepartment in making such an appointment.” 

The work of a fourth-class post-office is exceedingly light. 
•Many postmasters of this class have only a couple hours' work 
•each day, and most fourth-class offices are carried on in con¬ 
nection with other business. 

The annual salary depends, of course, upon the amount of 
postal business transacted and ranges as high as $1,000. 

Fourth-class postmasters, where the compensation is $500 
or more, after serving three years, are eligible for transfer to 
other positions in accordance with the Civil Service rules. This 
makes almost unlimited opportunity for advancement to higher 
and more responsible positions. 

An applicant for a fourth-class postmasters' examination must 
be a citizen of the United States; must have his domicile within 

34 


the territory supplied by the post-office for which the examina¬ 
tion is held; must have reached his twenty-first birthday on the 
date of the examination, except that a woman i8 years of age 
shall be eligible for examination in a State where women are 
declared by statute of full age for all purposes at i8: Provided, 
That applicants at an office, the annual compensation of which 
is as much as $SOO, shall not have reached their sixty-fourth 
birthday. 

The examination for fourth-class postmaster consists of:— 

1. Elementary arithmetic and accounts (simple tests in addi¬ 
tion, subtraction, multiplication, and division of whole numbers 
and common and decimal fractions and statements of a post¬ 
master’s accounts). 

2. Penmanship (the legibility, neatness, and general appear¬ 
ance of the competitor’s handwriting in the subject of letter 
writing). 

3. Letter writing (a letter of not less than 125 words on one 
of two subjects furnished). 

4. Copying manuscript addresses (simple test in copying ac¬ 
curately addresses given). 

Post-Office Clerks and Carriers.—The minimum and maxi¬ 
mum age limits for the post-office service are 18 to 45 years, 
respectively. The age limits are waived, however, in the cases 
of persons honorably discharged from the military or naval 
service by reason of disability resulting from wounds or sick¬ 
ness incurred in the line of duty. 

Male applicants must measure not less than 5 feet 4 inches 
in height in bare feet, and weigh not less than 125 pounds with¬ 
out overcoat and hat. Female applicants are not required to 
be of any specific height or weight. 

Until recently women have not been appointed as letter car¬ 
riers, but the Post-Office Department has been forced to ask 
women to take this examination because enough men could not 
be secured. 

Applicants for the post-office service are required to be phys¬ 
ically sound and in good health. 

The same second grade or minor clerical examination is 
given for clerk and carrier. This examination consists of spell¬ 
ing, arithmetic, penmanship, letter writing, copying from plain 
copy, and reading addresses. 

Clerks in first and second class post-offices and letter carriers 
in the city delivery service are divided into six grades, as fol¬ 
lows: First grade, salary $1,000; second grade, salary $1,100; 
third grade, salary $1,200; fourth grade, salary $1,300; fifth 
grade, salary $1,400; and sixth grade, salary $1,500. In other 
words, the pay is $1,000 the first year, and there is an increase 
of $100 each year for five years. 

I^way Mail Clerk.—For the position of railway mail clerk 

35 


a man must be at least 5 feet 5 inches in height, exclusive of 
boots or shoes, and must not weigh less than 130 pounds in or¬ 
dinary clothing, without hat or overcoat. The age limits are 
18 to 35 years. Applicant must also be in practically perfect 
physical condition—that is, free from physical defects. 

Women are beginning to be employed as clerks in railway 
main terminal offices, but not yet in the mail cars. 

According to the United States Civil Service Commission’s 
latest announcement, the examination for railway mail clerk 
consists of the subjects of arithmetic, penmanship, letter writ¬ 
ing, copying from plain copy, geography of the United States 
(all second grade), and spelling, first grade. 

Salaries of railway postal clerks are graded as follows: Grade 
one at $1,100; grade two at $1,200; grade three at $1,300; grade 
four at $1,400; grade five at $1,500; grade six at $1,600; grade 
seven at $1,700; grade eight at $1,800; grade nine at $1,900, and 
grade ten at $2,000. 

Persons who desire appointment to the position of mail 
weigher in the railway mail service should apply for and take 
the examination for railway mail clerk. Appointment to the 
position of sea postal clerk is usually made by transfer or pro¬ 
motion from the railway mail or post-office service. 

Postal Clerk, Panama Canal Service.—Age, 20 to 45 years; 
men only. Only men who are experienced in all branches of 
post-office work will be admitted to this examination. Appli¬ 
cants must show in their applications that they have had at least 
one year’s experience as regular clerk (not as carrier) in United 
States or Canal Zone post-o-ffices, or as postmaster, or as navy 
mail clerk, and that they are familiar with the receipt, distribu¬ 
tion, and dispatch of mail matter, the issuance of money orders, 
the registration of mail, and the preparation of the various re¬ 
ports required of postmasters. Entrance salaries, $100 and $125 
a month. 

Subjects of examination, first grade; also geography of the 
United States (second grade), reading addresses, test in noting 
with pen or pencil on a printed sheet of addresses differences 
between the printed addresses and the written addresses of 
which thy are a copy, training and experience. 

The positions of postmaster and assistant postmaster in the 
Canal Zone are filled by the promotion of postal clerks. 

Rural Carrier.—An applicant for the rural carrier examination 
, must be an actual citizen of the United States; must reside in 
the territory supplied by an office in the country for which the 
examination desired by him is held; must have reached his 
eighteenth but not his fiftieth birthday on the day of the ex¬ 
amination, and must be in good physical condition. Women 
are admitted to the examination on the same basis as men. 

After one year’s satisfactory service rural carriers may be 

36 


transferred to the position of post-office clerk or carrier in first 
and second class offices, to the position of railway mail clerk 
or to other positions in the classified service, in accordance 
with Civil Service rules. 

Salaries of rural carriers are based on mileage. The pay is 
graded from $6.-^4 a year for routes six to eight miles up to 
$1,728 for thirty-six miles. The pay of carriers who furnish and 
maintain their own motor vehicles and who serve routes not 
less than fifty miles in length may be fixed at not exceeding 
$2,160 per annum. 

The rural carrier examination is the same as for post-office 
clerk and carrier, see page 35. 


PRINTING AND ENGRAVING POSITIONS. 

Apprentice Plate Printer, Bureau of Engraving and Printing.— 
Age, 16 to 18 years; no person will be certified for appointment 
to the position of apprentice plate printer who has reached his 
eighteenth birthday; boys only admitted. 

Subiects of examination, third grade, and training and experi¬ 
ence (applicants will be given credit for any kind of previous 
training which would tend to qualify them for the position 
sought). The physical condition of applicants will be consid¬ 
ered. 

Bookbinder, Government Printing Service.—Age. 21 years or 
over; men only. 

Subiects of examination, third grade, and training and ex¬ 
perience. 

In this examination it is desired to secure eligibles who are 
proficient in as many of the specialties of the bookbinding trade 
(i. e., forwarding, finishing, ruling, machine casemaking, edge 
gilding, and marbling) as possible, and in making selections 
preference will be given to eligibles who are qualified in most 
of these specialties. Applicants for bookbinder must show in 
their applications that they have served at least five years in 
the trade of bookbinding, four years of which must have been 
served as apprentice, or equivalent, and at least one year as 
journeyman. No credit will be allowed in the examination for 
experience obtained below the age of 14 years. 

Electrotyper, Finisher, Government Printing Service.—Age, 
21 years or over; men only. Subject of examination, third grade, 
with correction of proof, embracing the interpretation of proof¬ 
readers’ marks, and training and experience. 

Applicants must show in their applications that they have 
served at least five years in the trade, three years of which must 
have been served as apprentice, or equivalent, and at least one 
year as journeyman. No credit will be allowed for experience 
gained below the age of 14 years. 

37 


Electrotyper, Molder, Government Printing Service—Age, 21 
years or over; men only. Subjects of examination, third grade, 
with training and experience. 

Applicants must show in their applications that they have 
served at least five years in the trade, three years of which 
must have been served as apprentice, or equivalent, and at least 
one year as journeyman. No credit will be allowed for experi¬ 
ence gained below the age of 14 years. 

Press Feeder (Cylinder or Platen), Government Printing 
Service.—Age, 18 years or over; women only. Subjects of ex¬ 
amination, third grade; training and experience. Experience is 
rated as follows: For three months’ experience, 50; six months, 
60; nine months, 65; one year, 70; fifteen months, 75; eighteen 
months, 80; twenty-one months, 85; two years, 90; two and one- 
half years, 95; three years or more, 100 per cent. In order to 
secure these ratings the experience claimed must be continuous 
and recent. No credit is allowed for experience gained subse- 
qunt to the date of taking the educational part of the exami¬ 
nation, and no application is accepted which does not show that 
the applicant has had either (i) at least three months’ experi¬ 
ence and has fed, at the rate of 1,200 sheets per hour, sheets 
not less than 24 by 38 inches in size on a cylinder press, or 
sheets not less than 14 by 17 inches in size on a platen press, 
or (2) at least three months’ experience in packing and banding 
cards of approximately by 554 inches, at the rate of at least 
300 packets per hour. 

Separate registers will be established of those with experi¬ 
ence in feeding presses and of those with experience in packing 
and banding cards. 

Press Feeder, Hydrographic Office, Navy Department.—Age, 
21 years or over; men only. Subjects of examination, third 
grade; training and experience. 

The applicant must show in his application that he has had 
at least three months’ experience in press feeding and has fed 
sheets not less than 24 by 38 inches on a modern cylinder press 
at the rate of 1,200 or more sheets per hour. 

Pressman, Government Printing Service.—Age, 21 years or 
over; men only. Subjects of examination, third grade; train¬ 
ing and experience. 

Applicants must show that they have served at least five years 
in the trade, three years of which must have been served as ap¬ 
prentice, or equivalent, and at least one year as journeyman. 
No credit will be allowed in the examination for experience 
acquired in the operation of a platen press nor for experience 
obtained below the age of 14 years. 

Printer, Government Printing Service.—Age, 20 years or 
over; men and women. Applicants must show that they have 
served at least five years in the trade of compositor, three 

38 


years of which have been served as apprentice, or equivalent, 
and at least one year as iourneyman. Persons who take either 
the linotype or monotype optional subject must have had at 
least one year’s experience in the operation of linotype or 
monotype machines, which experience may be concurrent with 
the compositor experience. No credit will be allowed in the 
examination for experience gained below the age of 14 years. 

Basis subjects of examination: Spelling (first grade). Arith¬ 
metic (third grade). Letter Writing (third grade), Penman¬ 
ship, Copying from Rough Draft, Abbreviations, Correcting 
Proof (embracing the interpretation of proofreaders’ marks). 
Tabulating (arrangement of matter in tabular form and indi¬ 
cation of the cast). Job Composition, Making-Up, Imposing, 
Bank Work, Editing and Proofreading, Jacket Writing, Es¬ 
timating, and Computing, Training and Experience as Book 
and Newspaper Compositor. Each competitor may take any 
one or more of the following optional subjects: Mechanism 
and Operation of Linotype (practical questions). Mechanism 
and Operation of Monotype (practical questions). Arrange¬ 
ment of Work for Job Printing. 

Certifications for appointment will be made (i) of eligibles 
having the highest rating on a certain optional subject, who 
have also passed on the basis subjects, and (2) of eligibles 
who have the highest average percentage on the basis sub¬ 
jects only. 

It is expected that appointments will be made chiefly from 
the optional registers, and only in exceptional cases will cer¬ 
tifications be made from the register resulting from the basis 
examinations alone. 

Vacancies in compositor positions in any part of the service 
may be filled by certification from the printer register. 

Stereotyper, Government Printing Service.—Age, 21 years 
or over; men only. Subjects of examination, third grade, with 
training and experience. 

Applicants must show in their applications that they have 
served at least five years in the trade, three years of which 
must have been served as apprentice, or equivalent, and at 
least one year as iourneyman. No credit will be allowed in 
the examination for experience gained below the age of 14 
years. 

THIRD GRADE SUBJECTS WITH TRAINING AND 
EXPERIENCE. 

Apprentice Map Engraver, Departmental Service.—-Age, 16 to 
18 years; a person who is serving his apprenticeship or who 
is undergoing training as a map engraver will be permitted 
to file an application for an apprentice map engraver without 


39 


regard to the age limit, and if he becomes eligible his name 
will remain on the register for certification until he has coni- 
pleted his four years’ apprenticeship or training, unless he is 
reached for certification and selected during that period; boys 
only admitted. Subjects of examination, third grade, with 
training and experience. 

Applicants will be given credit for any kind of previous 
training which would tend to qualify them for the position 
sought. If applicants have had training bearing on map en¬ 
graving, such training should be described in detail and sam¬ 
ples of work done should be furnished, if possible, for con¬ 
sideration in connection with the rating of this subject. 

The physical condition of applicants will be considered. 

Guard. United States Penitentiary Service.—Age, 21 to 60 
years; men only. 

For the penitentiary at McNeil Island, Wash., applications 
will not be accepted from persons who are not at least 5 feet 
8 inches in height and 14S pounds in weight; and for other 
penitentiaries from persons who are not at least 5 feet 4 
inches in height and 125 pounds in weight. The commission 
will also reiect the applications of persons whose height and 
weight are grossly disproportionate, other measurements being 
considered, those of persons who have flatfoot, and also those 
of persons who have other physical defects which, in the 
opinion of the commission, would render them unfit to per¬ 
form the duties of the position. Applicants must be pos¬ 
sessed of sound physical health, good moral character, hon¬ 
esty. courage and firmness. The commission will communi¬ 
cate with the persons named by the applicant as references 
and will make such other inquiry as the circumstances war¬ 
rant and will reiect the applications of persons who. in the 
opinion of the commission, are not qualified for the position 
by reason of character and temperament, as indicated by the 
evidence at hand. Persons who us intoxicants other than for 
. medicinal purposes will not be admitted to the examination. 

The subiects of the examination, third grade, physical ability, 
training and experience. 

Guards are employed at the three United States penitenti¬ 
aries, which are situated at Fort Leavenworth, Kan.; Atlanta, 
Ga., and McNeil Island, Wash. Residents of the States of 
Washington and Oregon and the northern judicial district of 
California are given preference in filling vacancies occurring 
at McNeil Island, but for the other two the highest eligibles 
willing to accept appointment will be certified. 

An applicant who has been or is at the time of application 
employed in a similar institution will be required to furnish 
the^ name and address of the officer in charge of such insti¬ 
tution, who will be communicated with concerning the appli- 

40 


cant’s fitness for employment as a guard in a United States 
penitentiary. 

General Mechanic, Departmental Service.—Age, 20 years or 
over; men only. 

Subjects of examination, third grade, with training and ex¬ 
perience. 

It is desired to secure eligibles who are capable carpenters 
or cabinetmakers, and who in addition have had experience in 
as many other lines as possible, such as painting, plumbing, 
electric work, operation of pumps and motors, and the care of 
steam-heating plants. The higher ratings on training and ex¬ 
perience will be given to those who show the widest range of 
experience. 


THIRD GRADE SUBJECTS ONLY. 

Subclerical, Departmental Service.—Age, 18 years or over, 
except that in making certifications for filling vacancies in the 
position of watchman the following age limits will be ob¬ 
served: Department of Labor, 20 to 40 years; Department of 
Agriculture, 25 years or over; Post Office Department, 30 to 
50 years; Bureau of Engraving and Printing, 25 to 40 years; 
Government Printing Office, 25 years or over; Smithsonian 
Institution, 21 to 40 years; Office of Panama Canal, 20 to 50 
years; other branches, 20 years or over. Men only admitted. 

No person will be admitted to the examination who has any 
of the physical defects mentioned on page 23, or who has 
flatfoot or hernia (rupture), or who is not able-bodied and 
physically capable of performing manual labor. 

Positions of messenger, skilled laborer (male), and watch¬ 
man will be filled from this examination. The term “skilled 
laborer” as here used is not intended to embrace the mechanical 
trades, which are commonly referred to as being skilled labor. 
In the present meaning, a skilled laborer is one whose duties 
are general or miscellaneous, below the clerical and minor 
clerical grades and above the grade of mere manual laborer. 
Subjects of examination, third grade, with training and ex¬ 
perience. 

For experience the highest ratings will be given to those 
who have been engaged for three years or more in the fol¬ 
lowing or similar occupations: Soldier, sailor, marine, police¬ 
man, guard, street-car conductor, elevator conductor, elec¬ 
trician, machinist, engineer, fireman, carpenter, motorman, 
plumber, etc. Lower ratings for experience will be given to 
those who have been engaged as constable, town marshal, 
trainman, brakeman. etc. 

Certain skilled laborer positions filled from this register re¬ 
quire persons of considerable physical strength, and persons 

41 


who attain eligibility in the examination will, if practicable, 
be given a strength test later, and if they pass this test satis¬ 
factorily their names will be entered upon the special register 
for the filling of this class of positions. This test consists in 
shouldering and carrying a mail sack and contents weighing 
125 pounds. 

Certain other skilled laborer positions require ability in one 
or another of the mechanical trades. Applicants who have 
experience in any mechanical trade or trades should state such 
experience fully in their applications. Upon their statement 
they will be given a rating separate from their rating in the 
regular subclerical examination. 

Skilled Laborer (Female). Departmental Service.—Age, 18 
to .35 years. Minimum height, 4 feet 10^4 inches, without shoes, 
vision must be normal in each eye, or rendered so by lenses. 
From this examination certifications will be made to fill vacan¬ 
cies as they may occur in the positions of printer’s assistant 
in the Bureau of Engraving and Printing and skilled laborer 
(female), in the Government Printing Office. No person will 
be certified to the Bureau of Engraving and Printing who is 
less than five feet in height, without shoes, or who was on 
the date of the examination less than 20 years of age. This 
Examination is held only at Washington, D. C. 

Printer’s Assistant, Bureau of Engraving and Printing.— 
This position will be filled as a result of the skilled-laborer 
(female) examination, and persons desiring appointments to 
this position should apply for that examination. 

Messenger Boy and Messenger Girl, Departmental Service.— 
Age. 14 to 18 years. 

For positions in the departments at Washington this ex¬ 
amination is held only at and near Washington. The salary 
of the position is $.30 to $40 a month, and it is not advisable 
to have persons who reside at a distance from Washington 
apply for the examination. 

While there are no height or weight requirements for mes¬ 
senger boys, eligibles whose weight is grossly disproportionate 
to their age may not be appointed to positions whose duties 
are such that unusual weight would interfere with their proper 
performance. 

For local services outside the District of Columbia the ex¬ 
amination is held in the city or vicinity in which a vacancy 
exists. 

The examination consists of the third grade subjects de¬ 
scribed on page 27. 


42 


Scientific, Technical, and Engineering Examinations. 

The Civil Service Commission holds hundreds of tests 
of a very technical character to secure for the Govern¬ 
ment architects, engineers of all kinds, chemists, scien¬ 
tists, Patent Office examiners, draftsmen, and many 
others. Lack of space prevents the giving of any details 
concerning these examinations, but those who have spe¬ 
cial qualifications by reasons of technical education or 
experience can obtain further information from the 
Commission or elsewhere. 

Eligibility and Appointment. 

Period of Eligibility.—Except for the Philippine Serv¬ 
ice, the period of eligibilty on all registers for original 
appointment is one year from the date of entering the 
name on the register, which entry is made as soon as 
practicable after the rating of the papers. The period 
of eligibiity on registers for the Philippine Service is 
two years. 

Certifications.—Until requested to certify names for 
filling it, the commission has no information in regard 
to any vacancy which may exist in any branch of the 
service. Wheever an appointing officer desires to fill a 
vacancy by original appointment he makes requisition 
upon the Commission for a certification of eligibles, 
specifying the kind of position, the sex desired, and the 
salary. Upon receipt of such requisition the commis¬ 
sion takes from the proper register of eligibles the names 
of the THREE persons standing highest of the sex 
called for, who indicate in their examination papers 
that they are willing to accept the salary of the position 
to be filled, and certifies them to the appointing officer, 
who is required to make selection. The appointing of¬ 
ficer may select any one of the three names. The two 
remaining names are returned to the register to await 
further certification. 

There are also many special rules as to certification, 
43 



but the details are too complicated for our purposes, and 
the whole subject is of little importance at a time like 
this, when there are positions waiting for all who can 
pass the examinations. 

Preference in Appointment.—Section 1754 of the Re¬ 
vised Statutes provides that persons honorably dis¬ 
charged from the military or naval service by reason of 
disability resulting from wounds or sickness incurred 
in the line of duty shall be preferred for appointments 
to the civil offices, provided they are found to possess 
the business capacity necessary for the proper discharge 
of the duties of such offices. A person who has been 
allowed preference by the Commission has the follow¬ 
ing advantages: (a) He is released from all age limita¬ 

tions ; (b) he has to attain an average percentage .of 
only 65 to be eligible, while for all others the average 
percentage required is 70; (c) having attained an aver¬ 
age percentage of 65, his name is placed upon the reg¬ 
ister above, and is certified before, those of persons who 
have not been allowed preference; and (d) he is released 
from the law and rules relating to apportionment of ap¬ 
pointments, but he cannot be certified for appointment 
to apportioned positions until he has furnished evidence 
of residence and domicile, as required by law. If on 
the same register the names of more than one preference 
claimant appear, the name of the claimant having the 
highest average percentage will, of course, head the list. 

Persons entitled to preference under this section are 
not released from any requirement as to physical condi¬ 
tion or from any other requirement of the examination 
for which application is made, except those specifically 
mentioned in the preceding paragraph. 

Preference under this section does not apply to pro¬ 
motion examinations or to examinations for the Philip¬ 
pine Service. 


44 



Previous employment in the Government service does 
not entitle an eligible to preference in appointment. 


Rating of Examination Papers. 

Method of Rating.—The following method is observed 
by the Commission in rating examination papers: 

After an examination is held the papers are arranged 
by sheets or subjects and are forwarded under seal to 
the Commission. When they are reached in the order 
of rating, they are distributed by sheets to the exam¬ 
iners, Examiner A being given all of Sheets i, Examiner 
B all of Sheets 2, Examiner C all of Sheets 3, and so on, 
the sheets being distributed to as many examiners as 
there are subjects in the particular examination to be 
rated. After the papers are rated in the first instance 
they are redistributed, and the first rating is reviewed 
by other examiners. When all of the papers of an ex¬ 
amination have been rated and reviewed, those of each 
competitor are then for the first time assembled or 
brought together, his average percentage is ascertained, 
the declaration envelope is opened, and the declaration 
sheet to which he has signed his name is attached to his 
examination papers. The identity of the competitor, 
therefore, is not disclosed until his papers have been 
rated and reviewed and his average percentage deter¬ 
mined. As the charges for specific errors are all fixed 
by the rules for rating, and as each subject is rated by 
one examiner and reviewed by another, it will be seen 
that absolute impartiality, accuracy, and uniformity are 
secured in the work. 

In determining the rating due the competitor for his 
answers to the questions given to him in the examina¬ 
tion room, the examiners must be guided solely by the 
work before them. Under the Commission's system 

45 


there is no possibility that the rating may be affected 
by other considerations. 

A notice of ratings will be sent to each person exam¬ 
ined as soon as practicable after an examination, wheth¬ 
er such person passes or fails to pass. 

Times and Places of Examinations. 

It was for many years before the war the practice of 
the Commission to hold examinations for the Depart¬ 
mental Service twice a year, in the Spring and in the 
Fall. Examinations for the Field Service were held 
during different months in the several Civil Service dis¬ 
tricts, so that the work of grading papers would be dis- 
tribuaed throughout the year. There were also several 
hundred specially announced examinations each year. 

There have been very important changes in the dates 
for the Field Service, and the regular Departmental ex¬ 
amination schedules have been abandoned. Some tests, 
as for stenographers, are held every week, but the great 
majority are called on rather short notice and at fre¬ 
quent intervals. 

Is Preparation for an Examination Necessary? 

Our investigation has shown us that the United States 
Government needs thousands of additional Civil Service 
employees at the present time, and that this need is 
likely to continue for an indefinite time. We have also 
seen that the Government pays its employees well, sur¬ 
rounds them with the very best working conditions, 
and is very liberal in the matter of paid vacations and 
sick leave. Our classification of the different kinds of 
examinations has shown that there is room and need 
for persons with almost every kind of education, qualifi¬ 
cations and experience. 


46 


We will now consider the examinations from the per¬ 
sonal viewpoint of the man or woman who has decided 
to enter the Government service, and the first question 
naturally occurring is, How can an appointment be se¬ 
cured? This has already been answered in a general 
way. You must pass an examination. 

However, before taking any Civil Service examination, 
certain preparation or coaching is advisable. 

The preparation which we advise before being exam¬ 
ined does not, however, require very much time or work. 
In the first place, we would not advise anyone to attempt 
an examination which requires a higher grade education 
than the applicant possesses. The description of the 
several grades will be found on page 26. We shall not 
attempt to say what grade you should have finished in 
school to make you competent to pass a first-grade Civil 
Service examination. But we will say with a great deal 
of assurance that you are in danger of underestimating 
your own ability. It is perfectly safe to attempt an 
examination of as high a grade as you could have passed 
when you were just out of school and fresh from your 
studies. We say that because we know that it is easy 
for a Civil Service school to take a student who needs 
brushing up and very quickly ‘Tub off the rust.” 

The following quotation from the Civil Service Rec¬ 
ord covers the ground as well as anything we have seen: 

“Everyone needs coaching for a Civil Service exami¬ 
nation if they wish to receive an early appointment. 
Those persons who pass with the highest average are 
the first ones appointed, and a high grade is almost 
impossible unless one has been thoroughly prepared. 

“There are numbers of questions arising in a Civil 
Service examination which cannot be learned from text 
books. The personal coaching of a person experienced 
in Civil Service methods is essential in order to cor¬ 
rectly answer these questions. 

47 


''Most persons who take Civil Service examinations 
have been out of school for several years. They are 
bound to be 'rusty’ and to need 'brushing up.’ The only 
way to do this is tp secure the services of some reliable 
school whose faculty is composed of men and women 
who are experienced in the work. 

"It is sometimes more important that you answer the 
question in the proper manner than to give the correct 
answer. Here again will be found urgent need of per¬ 
sonal coaching. These technicalities go a long way 
toward the making up of an examination, and those who 
are not familiar with the details cannot expect to be 
successful in securing a Government position. 

"To study just the subjects that are necessary and to 
review that which has been forgotten since leaving 
school should be undertaken by a candidate before at¬ 
tempting to be examined by the Civil Service Commis¬ 
sion. 

"Much of the excitement and nervousness at the time 
of examination would be lessened had the applicant been 
previously instructed how to avoid the errors into which 
even very well educated persons fall when being exam¬ 
ined for a Government position.” 


What Is the Best Preparation? 

If our readers are going to follow our advice and 
make proper preparation for an examination, it behooves 
us to give such advice as we can about how to prepare. 

Individual study will accomplish little, and much 
general study be of no avail. Whereas, less study if 
well directed, will provide all that is needed to enable 
one to pass with high grades, by which speedy appoint¬ 
ment is assured. 

This is where a course of study—mapped out by some 
school which makes a specialty of coaching for Civil 

48 




FATENT OFFICE (Upper). NATIONAL MUSEUM (Lower). 




































BUKKAU OF FNGKAVINO AND I’KINTING (UprKB). GOVERNMENT PRINTING 

OFFICE (Lower). 






















































Service—will greatly benefit an aspirant to a Govern¬ 
ment appointment. Having condensed the necessary 
and eliminated from its course the unnecessary knowl¬ 
edge, a school can give better training than can be ob¬ 
tained by studying alone. 

Most of the people in the United States have learned 
that correspondence instruction is not only entirely 
practical, but that it offers many advantages in some 
cases over instruction in residence schools. This is par¬ 
ticularly true of coaching for a Civil Service examina¬ 
tion. It is plain to any one who gives the matter a 
little thought that the best way to prepare for a written 
examination is by a system of instruction that is as near 
like the final test as possible. That is just the kind of 
instruction that correspondence schools give. 

The more general advantages of correspondence in¬ 
struction are that coaching by mail is, in the great ma¬ 
jority of cases, the only kind of instruction available to 
persons who are employed during the day. But even 
where night schools are available, or where the candi¬ 
date has time to attend day school, the cost of a corre¬ 
spondence course is less 

It takes less time to study by mail than in a resident 
school, as no time is wasted in traveling back and forth 
and every spare minute can be utilized at any time of 
day, while in a resident school the student must conform 
to the regular school hours. 

In a course by mail each student is a class by himself. 
He can study as fast as he is able or take as much time 
as is necessary. He is not hurried or hindered by the 
other members of a large class. 

One of the greatest advantages, however, is that the 
coaching of each student is individual. It is plain that 
in a large class the needs of all the students are not the 
same, but it is only through specialized coaching that 
each student can receive exactly the instruction that he 

49 


needs. If he is rusty in some branch, special attention 
is given to that subject, and he does not waste his time 
on subjects with which he is more familiar. In resident 
work, the class can go no faster on any subject than the 
most backward students are able to proceed. 

A Civil Service school located in Washington, D. C., 
seems to be in a better position to help its students than 
schools located elsewhere. No extended discussion of 
this point seems necessary. Washington is the head¬ 
quarters for all the Government work; for the Civil 
Service Commission and all the great Government de¬ 
partments. 


50 





WASIIINQTON CIVIL SEKYlSfe^HOO}. 

Marden^feuildi n g ; Wa s hi rig to ti 


The quickest way to get a Civil 
Service Position is by taking our short 
coaching course by mail. Coaching is 
as necessary to obtain a high Civil 
Service rating — and therefore a quick 
appointment—as training is for the soldier. 
Not that Civil Service examinations are hard, 
any more than training a soldier is difficult. But 
there are certain things that everyone must 
understand—and these things can only be learned 
quickly through those who already know. 

The best educated person in the world may fail in the 
simplest kind of Civil Service examination test unless he 
knows just how to proceed. On the other hand, a man or 
woman with only an ordinary education, if properly coached, 
should have no trouble at all. 

Our coaching course is the result of years of experience 
and study of Civil Service requirements. It is simple, and 
easy to follow. Yet it is the most important thing you need 
for passing a Civil Service examination. Armed with the 
preparation we give you, and with the enormous demands of 
the Government for Civil Service help, you will, 
in almost no time at all, be able to realize one 
of the finest ambitions a man or woman can 
have—a lifetime joh j good pay, easy hours, vacations 
with pay, promotions and CONTENTMENT. 

The best investment you can make is in our 
short home-study coaching course — and the 
best time to take this course is NOW. 


Civil Service 
Examinations 
held in all im¬ 
portant cities. 
We’ll mail 
you schedule 
of places and 
dates. 


ffOitn writing u a4v*rtittr$, (hast mtntivn '‘Civil Sfrvice as a Caretr." 








»= 

c^i 


Oo 


«‘pna] 


«*ven 




Cusiotn Hou«® 


immigrdtjon 




Bookkeeper 


Hundreds of Thousands of 
Government Positions 

must be kept filled under the Civil Service 
System. New positions are being created and 
additional appointments made more rapidly than 
ever in the country’s history. They are perma¬ 
nent, to help carry on the enlarged Government 
activities after the war. Additional help is needed 
in practically every Government Department— 
inWashington, and throughout the United States, 
Panama, the Phillipines, etc., where Govern¬ 
ment offices and branches are located. 

These Departments and Bureaus include; Postal, State, 
War, Navy, Agriculture, Interior, Labor, Commerce, 
Treasury, Custom House, Internal Revenue, Federal 
Reserve, Farm Loan, Pensions, Patents, Insurance, 
Transportation, Telegraph and Telephone, Fisheries, 
Forestry, Mines, Printing and Engraving, Immigra¬ 
tion, Justice, Penitentiaries, Shipbuilding, etc. 

Get into Civil Service ! Decide on the kind of 
position you would prefer, and then take advantage of our 

Reduced Tuition Rates 

You can save one-half of the regular price of our Com¬ 
plete Course by enrolling without delay. The Govern¬ 
ment needs help, and we want to do our share in 
supplying the demand. You can pay on any one 
of the following plans: 

Plan W1—$12.50 with enrollment. (Regular price $25) 

Plan W2—$ 7.00 with enrollment and 

$ 7.00 within JO days. Total $14. (Regular price $28) 
Plan W3—$ 5.00 with enrollment, 

$ 5,00 within JO days, and 

$ 5.00 within 60 days. Total $15. (Regular price $J0) 
(This rate docs not apply to Technical or Scientific Courses) 


ffOitn xi/ritim it advertUers, pitas* say when you saw this ad. 















Ehr 



We reserve the right to withdraw this offer with¬ 
out notice. Act now. Use the coupon below. 

You Take No Risk 

If we find from the information blank we will 
send you that you are not qualified for the posi¬ 
tion you desire, we’ll refund you your money at 
once. We do business on a liberal and absolutely 
fair basis. You take no chances. 

Our Money-Back Guarantee 

We give you a GUARANTY BOND. (See 
illustration next page). It protects you absolutely. 
If under its simple conditions you should for any 
reason fail to pass the Civil Service examination; 
or, after having passed, fail to receive an offer 
of a Government position within a given time, 
we will refund you every cent you have paid us for 
our coaching course. You shall not lose a penny. 


WASHINGTON CIVIL SERVICE SCHOOL, 

9 Marden Bldg., Washington, D. C. 

Date_ 


. 19 _ 


You may enroll me for a course of Preparatory Coaching for a Civil 
Service Examination. 

I have accepted your Payment Plan_, and enclose 

-by^ 


On the back; of tins Coupon I have marked the kind of position I desire. 
This application is subject to my acceptance of the terms of your 
Guaranty Bond, or its return within five days with request for the refund of 
my remittance. Further question blank and information are to be sent me. 

Name___ 

St. or R. F. D. No.-Post Office_State_ 


For safety, send remituncc by post-office or express Money Order or by Certified Check. 















Choose the Right School 

You make no mistake when you select the Washington 
Civil Service School for your coaching course. We have been 
established for years; are favorably known among the Gov¬ 
ernment Departments; are endorsed by leading banks; and 
have hundreds of testimonials from satisfied students — men 
and women whom we have helped and who are now enjoying 
fine, good-paying positions with the Government. 

Decide Today 

“Delays raise no salaries.’* Fill out the Coupon and get 
started toward a Civil Service position and independence. 
We’ll immediately send you all necessary information and 
instructions for proceeding with your course, 
and about examinations, appointments, etc.,— 
together with our Guaranty Bond which protects 
you absolutely. Remember, in addition to the 
regular lesson sheets, all our students receive 
personal coaching by mail, from our corps of 
instructors. 

Write for our free book, “ Government Positions.” 
WOMEN : Send for our jree “ Opportunities for 

Women in Government Civil Service. ” 

WASHINGTON CIVIL SERVICE SCHOOL 
Marden Building, Washington, D. C. 

Mark first, second and third choice, thus:”!, 2. 3.” (Most of our 
courses will fit you for more than one examination.) 



Railway 
Mail Service 
(.M and fV) 


Government 

Clerk 

(M and fV) 


Custom 
House 
{M and IV) 


Messenger 
Boys and Girls 
(M and IV) 


Post Office 
Clerk or 
Carrier 
{M and W) 


Bookkeeper 
(M and W) 


Internal 
Revenue 
(M and IV) 


Guard 

iM) 


Minor 

Clerk 

(M and IV) 


Stenographer 
and Typist 
{M and fV) 


Immigration 

Inspector 

(M) 


Skilled 

Labor 

{M and IV) 


Rural Mail 
Carrier 
{M and IV) 


Typist 
{M and tv) 


Postmaster 
(.M and IV) 






M" means positions for men only, ” M and IV ” means positions for both men and women 

Put name of any examination wanted in blank space, if not listed. 



















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